Reductions in VOC Emissions from Flaring Operations ...

Reductions in VOC Emissions
from Flaring Operations:

Technologies and Practices

Texas Technology Showcase
Houston, Texas
March 18, 2003
Session B2

Dennis Griffith, Session Chair

Reductions in VOC Emissions from Flaring

Operations: Technologies and Practices

Presentations

• Flares: The Answer or the Problem?

Karen N. T. Olson, P.E., Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality (Ms. Olson was unable
to make her presentation because of travel
restrictions; however, she has allowed it to be
included in the proceedings.)

• Flare System Emission Control

Scot Smith, Zeeco

Reductions in VOC Emissions from Flaring
Operations: Technologies and Practices

During the Texas Air Quality Study 2000, the flare
in the following slide was observed during
intensive ozone monitoring on August 30, 2000.
Note that in addition to the smoking elevated
flare, there is a lower flare to its left with a very
intense flame that may be unstable.

Downwind of these two flares, concentrations of
ozone in the range of 200 ppb were measured
by the monitors used in the Texas Air Qualtiy
Study 2000.



Reductions in VOC Emissions from Flaring
Operations: Technologies and Practices

The next slide is the results of TCEQ’s
ozone modeling in the vicinity of the flares
of the previous slide, which is about at the
coordinates of Northing -1100 and Easting
480. The flares were modeled at 98%
combustion efficiency. The actual
measured ozone concentration was
approximately 200 ppb while the modeled
ozone concentration was in the vicinity of
150 ppb.



Reductions in VOC Emissions from Flaring
Operations: Technologies and Practices

The next slide is the results of modeling in
the vicinity of the flares at 90% combustion
efficiency. The modeled results are in the
range of 200 ppb to 210 ppb of ozone
downwind of the flares, which agrees well
with the actual measurements made by
the Texas Air Quality Study 2000.